The Andrews government has released five oil and gas exploration blocks in the offshore Otway Basin in state waters (up to 3 nautical miles off the coast) extending from Port Campbell to the South Australian border.

They are currently open for tender (proposals close on February 15).

More than 1,300 square kilometres of coastal waters and coastline in western Victoria has been opened up to gas exploration, and may include the potential for drilling from onshore to access offshore fields, “subject to regulatory approvals".

National environmental organisation Friends of the Earth opposes any new onshore or offshore oil or gas production.

Logging has begun in the Castella forest, just west of the Toolangi township, in the Central Highlands, where these two greater gliders, along with at least 14 other threatened gliders were filmed and photographed.

Roading operations have begun and will continue to destroy this magnificent landscape if nothing is done by our government immediately.

The Andrews Labor government has delivered and promised an impressive and comprehensive list of environmental policies both in its first four years in power and during the state election campaign. These include:

Friends of the Earth have welcomed the reappointment of Lily D’Ambrosio as Minister for Energy, Environment, and Climate Change, saying a steady hand will guide policy in Victoria while policy chaos continues at the Federal level.

“The reappointment of Lily D’Ambrosio as the minister for climate change and energy is good news for efforts to tackle climate change,” said Leigh Ewbank, FoE climate change spokesperson.

“With climate and energy policy chaos continuing at the Federal level under the Coalition, a steady hand is needed in Victoria to rein in emissions and help Australia meet its international commitments.”

The election is over, and while we are yet to see the final makeup of the parliament, especially the Upper House, it’s worth reflecting on how and where the environment mattered in the outcome.

This was a different campaign to the one where the Andrews government came to power. In the 2014 state election, the key environmental battleground was in regional Victoria, where communities were organising against gas drilling and the Coalition had closed off the development of renewable energy. In inner Melbourne, communities organised against the East West Link, resulting in a pledge from the ALP that they would refuse to build the tunnel.

In 2018, the campaign was fought on many fronts, with a huge on-the-ground campaign in inner and suburban areas, and climate, renewables (and the associated cost of living debate) and forests playing key roles in the mainstream election campaign:

In November 2018, Victorians will head to the polls. With community concern about climate change on the rise, it's an issue that all political parties must address in detail.

Our state is undergoing profound change as the population grows, entire industries go to the wall, and climate change starts to really impact on our landscapes, economy and lifestyles. Yet Melbourne continues to sprawl, as low density development covers valuable farmland and remnant vegetation, supported by transport infrastructure that will perpetuate our current reliance on cars.

An election provides all parties with the opportunity to demonstrate leadership on the interconnected issues of climate, energy, social justice, and the economy.

The Victorian Government’s daft “fuzzy map” excuse for VicForests logging outside its allocated forest area could mean that all VicForests’ logging in the past five years may be unlawful.

The Andrews Labor Government told the ABC, which broke the story of the illegal logging,[i] that it’s not possible to tell whether its own logging agency, VicForests, is compliant with the law due to a fuzzy map.

Daniel Andrews continues to rush through the North East Link, today announcing the project will go out to tender moments after re-election.

As the biggest and most expensive road project proposed for Melbourne, the community needs to be involved in these significant decisions.

“The community will be devastated a potential Labor government will push through an unwanted road project, before assessing the environmental impacts of this project.” Rachel Lynskey, Friends of the Earth Sustainable Cities coordinator said today.

“We have not had the opportunity to understand the environmental impacts, nor investigate real alternatives to the congestion in this local area. The North East Link toll road locks in future gridlock.”

Both major parties are missing in action when it comes to nature and conservation policy according to Victoria’s five leading environmental groups who have come together today to launch a joint agenda to protect our natural environment.

Goongerah Environment Centre (GECO) and Friends of the Earth are today calling on the next Victorian government to abolish state owned logging agency VicForests and formally protect Victoria’s forests from logging after a special investigation by ABC newshas revealed hundreds of areas of native forest have been logged in areas that VicForests is not permitted to operate.

Tonight on 7:30 the ABC will detail widespread and systematic unlawful logging occurring across eastern Victoria under successive governments.

Friends of the Earth acknowledge that we meet and work on the land of the Wurundjeri people and that sovereignty of the land of the Kulin Nation were never ceded. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge the pivotal role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within the Australian community.